


The Return

by Esselle



Series: Heaven Sent [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greece & Rome, M/M, Reunion Sex, Reunions, Romantic Fluff, Wealth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-05-19 12:53:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14874110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esselle/pseuds/Esselle
Summary: 'Kageyama had come back to him.When he had returned, showing up so suddenly at the temple to announce he was alive and victorious and intended, on top of everything, to whisk Shouyou away for good, it seemed like the whole world had burst into nothing but unadulterated joy for Shouyou, from that moment onward.'--Two years after the start of the war, they're reunited.[words by Esselle, art by reallycorking.]





	The Return

**Author's Note:**

> One year ago, RC and I started posting Heaven Sent (on Tumblr)! So here's a little anniversary present for us, and the boys, because we've had this seaside idea in our heads since the story ended!!! I never quite got to go into details about their reunion; hopefully, even a year later, this is as cathartic for you all as it was for us to write and draw ^^

It was not the soft rocking of the boat that woke Shouyou, nor the sound of water lapping the hull, nor the racket of the rest of the ship's crew beginning to rouse and take to their duties for the day.

He barely registered these things, having fallen into such a deep and contented sleep the night before. The past few days had been an exciting whirlwind of activity, all spurred on by the most incredible and unbelievable event, one he could still scarcely dare to believe had happened:

Kageyama had come back to him.

When he had returned, showing up so suddenly at the temple to announce he was alive and victorious and intended, on top of everything, to whisk Shouyou away for good, it seemed like the whole world had burst into nothing but unadulterated joy for Shouyou, from that moment onward.

The past two years had been the hardest he'd ever had to endure. And he had known, that whole time, that Kageyama was fighting—was struggling even more than he was, but it was a different kind of trial. Because up until the moment he had seen Kageyama's face again, there was no way for Shouyou to know, without a shadow of a doubt, that he would ever feel Kageyama's hands on his face or his lips on his skin again. All he'd had was belief—and so he had _believed._

And he'd been rewarded. Right after Kageyama had appeared, they had departed from the temple in a gold-adorned carriage that was so big it could fit all Shouyou's meager belongings inside it. When they arrived at the Centurion's Villa, it was to a fanfare and revelry that nearly knocked Shouyou senseless. The whole villa was celebrating not only the master's return, but also that Shouyou had come with him—and finally, there would be no end to his stay.

The festivities that night really had knocked Shouyou senseless, with food and wine—and Kageyama in his bed, in _their_ bed, afterwards, all too ready to make up for lost time.

"Never again," Kageyama had gasped, while he was buried inside Shouyou, holding him so tight that Shouyou's breathing came short. His hands were as large and strong as Shouyou remembered, and he gripped the back of Shouyou's head, fingers splayed throughout his hair, keeping him in place and unmoving as he swallowed every desperate sound Shouyou made as Kageyama moved in him.

_"T-Tobio…"_

"I'm never leaving you again," Kageyama murmured, and Shouyou had come as if on command at that promise, tears rolling down his cheeks that Kageyama could finally kiss away.

Shouyou didn't know how he might keep that promise. But for the time being, he was happy enough not to question it.

But it was why he woke, now—groggy at first, and disoriented, not quite remembering where he was. But the bed, next to him, was empty. He stretched his arm across it, feeling no warmth, no big, solid body, and sat up, the covers falling off of him.

It was early in the morning yet, judging by the pallor of the sun shining through the cabin windows, and the lingering chill in the air. The days were warm at sea, but at night the fog rolled in, and took some time after dawn to clear. Shouyou slid to the edge of the huge bed and swung his feet over the side, setting himself down onto a rug so thick and soft he could feel it pushing between his toes. He smiled. At sea, Kageyama couldn't collect enough flower petals to adorn the wooden floor of the deck, so he had to make do with other means.

Shouyou's head was still spinning from the departure from the villa. The very next day after they had returned, Kageyama had announced that they were going on an excursion—a long awaited vacation trip to one of the private islands off the coast that Kageyama's family had long owned, gifted to them for their service to the empire by the current emperor's grandfather. Shouyou had never been sailing before, and he certainly had never been anywhere as exotic as a whole new island. He could barely contain his excitement.

But now, on their first of three mornings at sea, he awoke after another night packed with feasting and merriment to find Kageyama gone.

He frowned as he surveyed the empty cabin. Two of Kageyama's trusted stewards hurried forward to clothe his naked body in a luxuriously soft robe and offer him warm teas and honey water to ward off the morning chill. He smiled at them gratefully. One of them, a tall, refined woman who had been attending to him ever since his first stay at the villa, combed her fingers through his sleep-disheveled hair fondly and then said,

"You are wondering where the master is." When Shouyou nodded, she said, as she often did when Kageyama disappeared somewhere in his vast estates without telling Shouyou, "I will take you to him."

Shouyou followed her out of the cabin, trailing behind her as she navigated her way about the ship. They passed the galley, where breakfast was being prepared and where Shouyou couldn't help but peek inside, coming out victorious with a sweet, flaky pastry, before heading out onto the main deck.

The sound of voices shouting grew louder, and Shouyou realized, as they got closer, that they were chanting something, steady and rhythmic. He climbed the short flight of stairs up to the deck, and then saw where all the noise was coming from.

A long, long row of men lined each side of the ship. The low, song-like chanting came from them, as they manned the massive oars that stretched from the deck of the galley down to the water below. And once pointed out, Shouyou saw him—Kageyama was among them, working just as hard alongside the rest of his men.

"He rows with them?" Shouyou asked, accidentally spraying a mouthful of crumbs everywhere.

"He always has," the woman servant said. "Ever since he was a boy. He used to try even before he was big enough, and they'd have to carry him out of the row."

Shouyou grinned, thinking that sounded very much like Kageyama. He knew better than to distract Kageyama while he was working hard, and besides, breakfast was ready—so Shouyou sat on the deck out of the way and ate and watched, kept out of the steadily heating sun by a silken parasol held by one of the manservants.

Even though Shouyou _did_ want Kageyama to pay attention to him most, it wasn't awful, sitting in the shade, sampling the many different choices of food brought to him, and letting his eyes rove all over Kageyama as he rowed. That was undoubtedly the best part—his gaze lingered on Kageyama's back and arms especially, as sweat beaded there steadily, starting to run off him in rivulets the longer he labored. Each rotation of the oars made every muscle in Kageyama's powerful upper body shift and flex, his broad shoulders gleaming under the sun.

Shouyou rubbed his lips with his fingers, feeling the telltale signs of sensitivity flaring up throughout his whole body. After two whole years of separation, a scant couple of nights, as sleepless and hedonistic as they might have been, were hardly enough to satisfy the blazing heat in his belly, now that Kageyama was within reach again. So yes, while watching Kageyama now was certainly good… he pressed his thighs together and willed himself to wait.

Kageyama noticed him as soon as he had finished his shift and swapped out with one of his men. He approached Shouyou where he waited, his attention swiftly drawn by the breakfast waiting there.

"Where's the pastries?" he asked.

"Ate them," Shouyou said airily.

 _"Already?"_ Kageyama asked, looking outraged, as he took a towel one of the servants offered him. "You couldn't save me _one?"_

Shouyou snatched the towel out of his hands before Kageyama could start to wipe himself off. He followed the trail of a lone bead of sweat with his eyes as it rolled from Kageyama's collarbone, down his chest, his stomach, his hips… No, no, it wouldn't do at all for Kageyama to towel himself dry just yet. Kageyama stared at him.

"No," Shouyou said. "And that is what you get for just—just—"

"Just what?"

"Just leaving me alone when I woke up!" Shouyou accused him.

"You weren't _alone,_ " Kageyama said. "I made sure there were people waiting on you, and I was right here—"

"That's not the same, _dominus,_ " Shouyou said. "It's not the same at all as waking up next to you. I want to see you _right there_ from the moment my eyes open." He crossed his arms, glaring at Kageyama. Kageyama glared back.

"I'm indulging you too much," he said.

"What _else_ are you good for?" Shouyou asked.

That did it. He shrieked as Kageyama grabbed him around the waist, hauling him out of the chair.

"I'll show you what I'm _good for,_ " Kageyama threatened.

"No!" Shouyou wailed, beating Kageyama's chest with his fists. Kageyama looked exceedingly unbothered. He shifted his hold on Shouyou and—Shouyou yelped as Kageyama tossed him over his shoulder easily, so he could grab a honey-drizzled slice of bread from the breakfast tray, stuffing it into his mouth.

"Delicious," Kageyama said to the cook, voice muffled by bread. "Let's go, you ungrateful brat."

"Put me down!" Shouyou demanded, protests dissolving into helpless giggles, as Kageyama strode off without the slightest hint that he was listening at all. _"Dominus!"_

"You'll get down when I say you do," Kageyama said.

"You're not really mad, are you?" Shouyou asked. He didn't feel too anxious—at first.

But Kageyama didn't answer him immediately, and after the silence had dragged on a bit too long, Shouyou asked again, quieter, "Tobio? Are you?"

They had reached Kageyama's cabin, and Kageyama shut the door behind them after they'd entered. He tossed Shouyou down onto the bed, and Shouyou stared up at him, wide-eyed.

 _"Dominus,_ I'm sor—"

"Did I truly upset you?" Kageyama asked, and Shouyou blinked at him. "This morning."

Shouyou opened his mouth to say no, to say he'd been joking. But what came out instead was, "I missed you."

Kageyama's eyes widened, and then he was climbing into the bed, pulling himself over Shouyou, caging Shouyou beneath him. "I know," he murmured.

"Not just this morning," Shouyou said. "For the past two years. I missed you."

"I _know,"_ Kageyama repeated. "Because I thought about you every day. Every moment I could spare for something besides that war, they were all for you."

"I mean it," Shouyou told him. He reached up to slide his hand around to the back of Kageyama's neck, fingers gripping determinedly. "You promised you'd never leave me again. When I wake up I need you next to me."

Kageyama nodded. "Then I will be."

"Hmm." Shouyou smiled. "Good. That way, I don't have to miss any of the rowing, either."

Kageyama looked confused. "It's not all that interesting, though."

"Oh, Tobio," Shouyou sighed. He let his hands wander down Kageyama's back and sides—his skin was still slick with sweat, and his scent was intensely strong and heady, with how close he was hovering over Shouyou. "It's much more interesting than you think."

When Kageyama realized what he wanted—and it didn't take long, as Shouyou _always_ wanted, and Kageyama was well accustomed to it—he set about making things right without delay. And so before Kageyama had properly had breakfast, he made sure to have his fill of Shouyou, first.

"Really missed you…" Shouyou whispered. His eyes fluttered closed as Kageyama opened him, two fingers slipping inside him easily, with how well he'd pleasured Shouyou the night before. Kageyama kissed his eyelids, left, and right, and again, and Shouyou reached up to pat at his face and hair gently. "So happy— _ah—_ that you came home to me. S-so glad you're safe…"

"Ready?" Kageyama murmured, and Shouyou nodded.

Kageyama lined himself up, hands stroking deliberately slowly as he pushed Shouyou's knees higher to wrap around his waist, savoring every inch of Shouyou's skin. When Kageyama finally pushed inside him, Shouyou let his head fall back into the pillows, feeling blissful and whole.

"I'll always return to you. Always, Shouyou, always."

"Good—" Shouyou gasped. "Yes, Tobio— _good—"_

"I missed you more than I know how to say," Kageyama said, and Shouyou heard, just barely, the crack in his low, steady voice. He grabbed Kageyama's hands in his own, weaving their fingers together, squeezing tight.

"Don't h-have to say it—" he breathed. "This is enough."

But Kageyama was and always had been earnest to a fault—and for lack of more poetic words, he murmured the simple ones into Shouyou's ear, again and again, until they both were spent, tangled up in one another in the damp sheets. It was more than enough.

"In case you were still confused," Shouyou said, once he'd caught his breath, _"that_ is how I want to be woken up in the mornings."

Kageyama snorted, eyes closed in relaxation as he lazily trailed his fingers across Shouyou's stomach. "You're a _lump_ in the mornings until someone puts food in front of your nose."

Shouyou grinned and didn't try to deny it. "I didn't say to choose between one or the other."

He yelped, as Kageyama pinched him, _hard._

*

The island Kageyama brought him to was even more beautiful than Shouyou could have imagined. There was a cove, and beach, with little boats just big enough for two people. The residence there was smaller than the Centurion's Villa, but no less beautiful. In the distance, he could see the mainland, a dusky red with the houses of the citizens set into the land, white and blue. At night, Kageyama had told him, it would be all lit up by the people living there, with the reflection shining off the water. Shouyou couldn't wait to see it.

They had docked in the afternoon; the day was hot, but the sea breeze was refreshing and cool, and Shouyou took off to explore as soon as his feet were back on land. There were vineyards and gardens he couldn't wait to wander through, but a picturesque lookout point attached to the residence, set high up on the hilly island so his view of the ocean would be unobstructed, had caught his eye first.

It was a dusty climb up a worn, rustic path of stairs to reach it, and Shouyou stayed determinedly ahead of Kageyama the whole way, laughing even when he tripped on the stairs and caught himself on his hands, palms and white tunic picking up sand as he scrambled to the top. And then he'd reached it—a shaded marble courtyard lined with low white benches, the ocean stretching out to the horizon every which way Shouyou looked, a deep, deep blue.

"So?" Kageyama asked, coming up behind him. "You like it?"

Shouyou turned and beamed at him. "I _love_ it."

Kageyama nodded. "Good."

Shouyou sighed happily and toppled backwards to sit on one of the benches. The sun warmed his back and he held his arms out to Kageyama. "You're good at doing things I like." But Kageyama didn't approach him right away. Now he was frowning, and Shouyou tilted his head. What could possibly be wrong, he wondered, in a place as beautiful as this? "What is it?"

"I don't," Kageyama said.

"Don't what?"

"Always do things you like."

Shouyou thought about this. "Well, that's true. I _don't_ like it when you say I'm not good at things, or when you make fun of me, or you beat me at races." All three of these things tended to happen all at once.

But Kageyama shook his head and said, "And you don't like it when I leave."

"Oh," Shouyou said. "No, I don't. But I… I know that neither of us can always stop that from happening."

"You can't." Kageyama came closer, and then, to Shouyou's shock, knelt in front of him. He reached out, cupping Shouyou's cheek in one warm palm. "I can, though."

Shouyou stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"The promise I made to you, the other night…" Kageyama took a deep breath. "It's much more real than you think."

It was suddenly hard for Shouyou to breathe. "Tobio?"

"I'm retiring from the military," Kageyama told him. "I was granted special permission, by the emperor himself. As long as I continue my duties training the new officers…"

For a moment, Shouyou felt absolutely frozen. Then he fell forward, and Kageyama wrapped him in a tight embrace, pressing his face against Shouyou's chest as Shouyou flung his arms around Kageyama's neck.

"You won't have to leave on another campaign," Shouyou whispered. "Ever?"

"Ever," Kageyama confirmed.

Shouyou laughed. He dropped his face into Kageyama's dark hair to kiss the top of his head before resting his cheek in the soft strands, overwhelmed.

"You waited so _long_ to tell me," Shouyou accused.

"Because it didn't seem real," Kageyama said. "I had to make sure I wouldn't wake up first."

Shouyou grabbed Kageyama's face in his hands, and made Kageyama look at him. "You _are_ awake," he said, staring into eyes blue as the ocean. "And I'm not a dream."

Kageyama returned his gaze steadily.

"No, you're not," he said. "You're my gift."

Since Kageyama had returned, since Shouyou had first laid eyes on his face again, there had been an apology written across it. But now it finally seemed, with the salt air on their faces, and the crash of the waves against the cliffs, and Shouyou smiling in his arms—he had realized that he'd never needed to ask for forgiveness.

He had vowed never to leave Shouyou again; and the reverse was also true.

Shouyou leaned down so that when he spoke next, Kageyama's lips were as warm against his own as the sun at his back.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said, and with his next kiss—and all the rest that would come after—he proved it.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> RC's art of KageHina by the sea can be [viewed in full here](http://reallycorking.tumblr.com/post/174676367114/a-year-ago-today-esselley-and-i-started-posting)! ^^ For other projects by me and RC, check out the links below:
> 
> [@esselley](http://esselley.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr, [@Esselle_hq](https://twitter.com/Esselle_hq) on Twitter  
> [@reallycorking](http://reallycorking.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr, [@reallycorking](https://twitter.com/reallycorking) on Twitter  
>  **Our collab blog is[@essiecorking](https://essiecorking.tumblr.com/)!**


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